US Vice President calls Assange a “terrorist”

In what is the most high-profile attack against Wikileaks yet, US Vice President Joe Biden, dubbed Julian Assange a "hi-tech terrorist".

Biden claimed that by leaking diplomatic cables Assange had put lives at risk and made it more difficult for the US to conduct its business around the world. So far comments from the White House have been somewhat benign, but Biden's statements are starting to show that Washington really is miffed by the leaks.

Interviewed on NBC's Meet the Press, Biden was asked if the administration could prevent further leaks, as Assange warned last week. "We are looking at that right now. The justice department is taking a look at that," Biden said, without elaborating.

Currently the US is falling over itself to find a criminal charge it can pin on Assange, although it is unlikely that they will find anything. It looks like calling him a terrorist will be an excuse to send a cruise missile winging his way. After all Assange is wearing a homing device as part of his conditions of bail. It would be a doodle to tune a Tomahawk to that frequency.